Saturday Market at Lalibella
Ethiopia 2013, Saturday Market in Lalibella
Lalibella lies on a mountain top. It’s surrounded by more mountains and fertile valleys farmed in the age-old way: plowing is done with bullocks pulling a wooden plow, sowing and reaping is done by hand. The landscape is pristine.
The farmers go to market and back on foot covering long miles toting heavy sacks full of grain or herding animals they hope to sell. If they are not lucky, if they don’t sell, then they once again trudge the long miles back to their village carrying their heavy loads.
I’ve always wanted a good “crowd shot” and never have achieved one not even in China where crowds are everywhere. I came to the conclusion that the photographer must be higher than the crowd and here in Lalibella I was standing on a knoll looking down at a section of the market. I was lucky to have some picturesque locals in my foreground. Establish foreground is one of the maxims I remember from my photography teachers. It gives a sense of depth as well as place.
I liked this overview with some huts in the background. I’m wondering what the actual elev. on top the mountain and what is the mountains name. J.
Hi, Jerry.
I don’t know the name of the mountains. I know my guide told me but it was hard for me to understand English spoken with an Ethiopian accent. They speak rapidly to say the least. Lalibella is about 8000ft, a few hundred meters higher than Addis Ababa.
Those round, thatched huts are typical dwellings. Lalibella has many shanties as well. It is a small city but an important one due to all the churches. It is called the New Jerusalem.
I’ll be posting photos from my trip for the next few weeks.
Best,
Rosemary